5 Ideas for Building a Killer Outdoor Kitchen

An outdoor kitchen is the ultimate dream for a lot of people who enjoy backyard entertaining. Imagine gathering your friends or family together for a summertime barbecue or a cozy winter cocktail party in the comfort of your own garden. Here are some great tips for designing your killer outdoor kitchen.

1. Design Ideas

Pinterest is a great resource to find design inspiration and to compile your plans. Simply go to pinterest.com, register an account, and type in “outdoor kitchen ideas”. There is a multitude of design options out there. Take a look at some of these tips!

Moern and Sleek

Concrete or rich colored woods are a great way to create a modern design aesthetic. Most classic or traditional kitchens use white-washed or light colored wood to create the look so go the opposite way for modern! Minimal furniture and features also help to create a modern feel. This also helps with maintenance and clean-up too. Check out these images for inspiration.

Classic or Country

White wood, blue accents, and exposed stone are a great way to give your outdoor kitchen rustic, classic appeal. Flowers and plants growing up the sides of walls or arbors are great for creating softness and a traditional appeal as well. Think of white-washed cabinets, pale-wood benches, and large rustic dining tables.

2. Grills

So many grilling options! There are 6 major types of grills to consider for your outdoor kitchen. Think about what you most enjoy cooking and what you can get the most use out of before choosing your grill.

Open Grills

This is the simplest set up of all grills. It consists of a metal or stone box with a heating element (wood, charcoal, gas) and a metal grate over the top of the box directly over the fire. Open grills are best for direct grilling over high heat and are best suited for quick cooking foods like kebabs, thin steaks and chops, and fish.

Covered Grills

Add a cover to the open grill and it allows you to add smoking and indirect grilling features to your outdoor grill. Covered grills are best for thicker steaks, rack-of-ribs, or whole chickens and ducks. You can also add different types of wood to your grill, close the lid, and let the meat slowly absorb the aroma of the wood.

Ceramic Grills

Ceramic grills are made of thick walls that allows heat to radiate off the side of the walls for even cooking. Ceramic grills are usually much deeper than typical grills and are generally used to cook bread (like flatbreads or India’s naan) directly on the side walls. The grill portion of ceramic grills are best suited for thin sliced meat, kebabs, fish, or veggies.

Rotisserie Grills

A rotisserie grill adds a rotating spit to the grill to allow for even cooking of thick slabs of meat or whole animals. Food is cooked slowly over several hours that results in crispy skins on the outside and tender, moist meat on the inside. Rotisserie grills are best suited for thick steaks, fatty meats, or whole animals like chickens, ducks, or even whole pigs (if your grill is big enough).

Smoker Grills

A smoker grill cooks meat on low heat for several hours over aromatic wood chips for flavorful and tender meat. The most common woods used for smokers include maple, hickory, mesquite, oak, and pecan. Smokers are best suited for tough cuts of meat that it slowly tenderizes while in the smoker. Meats like briskets and ribs are perfect for this.

Firepit Grills

A firepit grill allows your whole family to feel like you’re camping out right in your backyard! Firepit grills are just like campfires but with a metal grate positioned above the fire to cook food. The grates for the grills are height adjustable so that the food raised or lowered to be closer or farther from the fire. This makes firepit grills extremely versatile and can handle delicate foods like fish, veggies, and S’mores to thick cuts of beef and whole animals.

3. Appliances

Take a browse through these links for some ideas for your appliance purchases.

Pizza Ovens

Here is an affordable, moveable outdoor pizza oven.

Grilling Space

This is a comprehensive, versatile grill designed especially for outdoor use.

Beverage Center

This is a great option for those who really want to entertain! Store your drinks and drink accessories in a sleek design.

4. Furnishing Ideas

There are so many options to consider when it comes to furnishing. Will you go for a table and chair configuration, or a bench and stool set-up? Consider what kinds of gatherings you will use your kitchen for to help you decide which is best.

Color: try to think about what color scheme you will like and enjoy throughout the years. You don’t want to choose a bold, crazy color palette that you end up tiring of after one season. If you want a bold, bright touch, use interchangeable pillows, cushions, and throws. You can choose, bright appliances or flowers to add color too. That way, your base palette remains neutral while adding add splashes color that are easy to change out.
Fabric: Obviously, you need to choose a weather-resistant fabric for your outdoor furnishings, especially if there is a minimal overhead cover. Treated canvas and Olefin fiber are good choices for outdoor furniture.
Shade Sails and Covers: It is important to protect your appliances and furniture from the weather and potentially harsh elements. If you live in an extreme climate, consider the kind of protection you want to use for your outdoor kitchen. You can build awnings to shade the patio area or you can build a structure, like an arbor or pergola. Basically, this has a sturdy roof and side pillars. You can also install weather-resistant curtains to the side pillars that you can pull closed to act as walls if you’d like some privacy in your patio.
Finishing Touches: once the heavy appliances and furniture pieces are installed, take a step back and think of what else space needs. Here are some ideas for finishing touches:

- Ornaments

- Lamps

- Small side-tables

- Decorative trays and bowls

- Vases and good-quality fake flowers

- Water-resistant throws and blankets for winter months

5. Money-Saving DIY Options

You don’t need to rely on the expertise of others for every aspect of your outdoor kitchen needs. You can handle some of it yourself if you’re up to it!

Use recycled wood and old furniture/benches from second-hand stores or yard sales. Upcycle it yourself and get to work making your chairs, benches, or shade sails.
Go out and find weather-resistant fabrics from fabric stores or furniture sales. You can re-upholster your outdoor furniture to suit your own personal aesthetic.

What Jobs Are Safe From Automation?

The road to automation requires robots to collaborate with humans, rather than simply replacing them altogether. Majority of jobs will still require human intervention to some degree.

The risk of job automation is highest in predictable, manual, and repetitive work environments and in industries with lower regulations.

The risk of automation is lower in unstructured, dynamic, and unpredictable work environments and in industries involving high regulatory scrutiny.

U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs, for example, employed over 600 stock traders at its peak. Thanks to machine-learning algorithms capable of making complex trades, these 600 traders have been reduced to just two. Instead, about one-third of its workforce is now employed as computer engineers.

Amazon, for example, is using 45,000 robots in their warehouses. But at the same time, it is creating thousands of new jobs for humans in its fulfillment centers.

We know that robots are not good at gripping, picking, and handling items in unstructured environments.

Risk of job automation is highest in predictable work environments and in industries with lower regulations. This includes jobs or tasks that are manual and repetitive.

This has happened to manufacturing. It is now impacting over 10.5 million jobs in restaurants, janitorial roles, and warehouses.

In hospitality, the ease of automation is high for repetitive and manual tasks like making coffee or preparing specific dishes. This is particularly true in environments with highly structured processes and menus.

Many startups are working on digital payment and tabletop-ordering software to replace the tasks of cashiers and servers.

The good news is that the risk of automation is lower in unstructured or unpredictable work environments. This includes industries involving high regulatory scrutiny.

In healthcare, dynamic decision making in unpredictable work environments makes these patient-facing jobs hard to automate, especially when there is a high degree of emotional intelligence required.

Although trucking is at high risk of automation, this is unlikely to happen widely in the next decade due to regulatory challenges. While technology has the potential to reduce manual labor, it faces regulatory challenges as it still requires a human driver for non-highway driving.

The Best Beard Oil of 2018 – Complete Reviews

Ignore the negative comments, because beards are here to stay for a long while. Each year, the beard trend is increasing in magnitude and becoming more and more popular. Every guy is either growing a beard or really wants to have one but is scared away by the idea of taking care of facial hair.

The easiest and most valuable approach to the upkeep and maintenance of a beard is using beard oil which will soften the hair and moisturize the skin underneath. All types of beard products are flying off the shelves, but none of them match the popularity and utility of beard oil. Carrying tremendous benefits for the facial hair and skin, here are the best beard oils discussed in detail.

Product 1: Bossman Beard Oil

This is the very first jelly beard oil in the world and has definitely disrupted the beard industry. Because of the increased viscosity of the jelly, it bonds robustly with the hair follicles and skin pores.

Product Highlights

Fashioned with carefully selected natural oils, beard growth is stimulated with the help of this product, and this proves to be a blessing for men who are already struggling with this issue. It gives the beard strength and thickness while keeping the tamed appearance.

The other oils are runnier in texture, so they dry out quickly as compared to Bossman Beard Oil. They are also unable to penetrate the pores and follicles whereas this beard oil does because of its unique texture.

You will find that most beard oils are only available in small 2 oz. bottles, but in Bossman Beard Oil the quantity is doubled. The scent of this oil is an exuberant blend of vanilla oil and rich sandalwood that gives you a warm aroma.

The Good/What I Like

The increased quantity available at a reasonable price is a major positive element of this oil. It is different from the rest of the beard oils available on the market because of its unusual texture and its ability to stay in the facial hair for a long while.

The Bad/What I Don’t Like

The smell might be too strong for certain people, as it is definitely going to have a strong impact on their surroundings. Moreover, the beard oil might not be suitable for all skin types because of its exclusivity.

Pros

• Comes at a reasonable price

• Good quantity

• Easy application

Cons

• The smell might be too strong for some

• Not suitable for all skin types

Product 2: Badass Beard Care Beard Oil for Men

If you have dandruff in your beard or are tired of the frequent itching, this particular product is the answer to all your worries and will help in maintaining a healthy, long beard.

Product Highlights

Containing food-grade and organic ingredients, it is a handcrafted, completely natural product. It serves to hydrate the skin and will promote the healthy growth of your beard while making the hair softer.

One of the best things about this beard oil is that it is manufactured by experts who have been in the field for a long while. They are absolutely aware of what is right for the beard and what’s not.

This beard oil is available in 12 different scents, so there are a myriad of options available. Ranging from soft to strong fragrances, it has everything to offer people with distinctive tastes.

The Good/What I Like

The natural ingredients used in this beard oil, combined with its excellent scents, give it an altogether different feel. The highlight of this oil is that it is handcrafted, so there is no doubt about its utility and the benefits it offers for the beard and facial skin.

The Bad/What I Don’t Like

The oil comes in a very small bottle, so it is not going to last for a long time. You would need to place an order for the second bottle relatively soon after the first.

Pros

• There is a wide range of scents available

• Only the most natural ingredients are used

• All your beard-related issues will be resolved

• A trial pack is also available at a very reasonable price

Cons

• The size of the bottle is very small

• Quite expensive

Product 3: Beard Oil by MOUNT BEARDMORETM

Manufactured using a premium formula which consists of all natural materials, this beard oil has a very high standard in the market. It ensures a sleek, shiny, and handsome look for your beard.

Product Highlights

As the product is prepared using all natural ingredients, there are no side effects. It is free from alcohol and has never been tested on animals. The natural oils are used to provide moisture to your hair and to freshen up the skin.

It serves as a cure for the brittle, dry beard which is totally unmanageable. Just a few drops are enough, and this natural oil will penetrate the hair follicles, providing them with strength and rapid growth.

It doesn’t have a greasy feel, so there will be no mess or oily residue after use. The area surrounding your beard will be completely dry, allowing you to use the oil with ease at any time.

The Good/What I Like

It is a perfect solution to all beard related problems, and the natural ingredients help you to bypass all kinds of side effects. The brand prides itself in the satisfaction it gives all of its customers.

The Bad/What I Don’t Like

The scent is a bit different because of the addition of musk, so it might not appeal to everyone. Moreover, the quantity is very low.